I thought the DW barrels threaded into the receiver and then were tensioned with the muzzle nut?  So the barrel is pulled to the rear by the chamber threads, then pulled forward against the barrel shroud by the muzzle nut to tension it?

Could be completely wrong, I've only seen one taken apart once.

The S&W M69 is not set up like the Dan Wesson in that there is no barrel nut.   There is a special tool that goes in the rifling to tighten the barrel.   It might make the revolver more accurate but I think the main reason is that it should be easier to set the barrel/cylinder gap.   The Dan Wesson was easy to set.  I an not sure how S&W does it, but shims on the inside shoulder would work.  The shroud locks into the frame so no clocking is involved.

For hunting with the M29, I would go with the 8 and 3/8 inch.   If you are going to shoot a lot of full loads, then a 240/250 cast with IMR4227 would be my choice.   When I had my first M29 4"" back in 1972, I shot 300 rounds a week with that near max load.   When I traded the 4" in on an 8 and 3/8' M29 a year later, the gunsmith said the action was like new.

Find a Model 29-4 endurance package, with a 5" barrel (Classic or Classic DX) and don't look back.

Take this from someone who shoots .44s a BUNCH, and happens to shoot them in the same geographical location that the old guy in your avatar is located...












If you have read Elmer Keith, then you might recognize the name of the remote Pahsimeroi Range in central Idaho. That is where a number of these pics were taken (or close to), including the one below, where we were doing some long range shooting, close to Horse Heaven Pass.

I have been shooting .44 for decades, and not just a couple boxes here and there each year, but ordering Starline brass by the thousands.






The punchline is that I have formed a few opinions, and observations. They are merely opinions though.

If someone is speaking in absolutes...., well that says a lot about them...

As far as I am concerned, I think the Apex of S&Ws was the period of hammer mounted firing pin, pre-mim guns, that had the endurance packages. Some of the MIM stuff is actually quite good though, and I don't stress about it at all though.


Here are some things I have noted:

For an N Frame, there is no reason to go below a 4" barrel. By far the most comfortable way to pack is on a belt, and you gain nothing going shorter than 4"s, but increase muzzle blast, reduce sight radius, etc.

4" guns pack easiest on the belt.

6" and 6.5" guns are generally easiest to shoot well with iron sights. They are a good bit tougher to carry on a belt holster though.

The middle ground, aka "Goldilocks" is the 5" N Frame.



The 5" N Frame packs almost as easy as a 4" for getting in and out of trucks, hiding under jackets, etc, yet has a long enough sight radius that it is an easy gun to shoot well.

I have yet to find a better all around barrel length than a 5" barrel for an N Frame. I have also noted that most of the more experienced N Frame shooters tend to roll this way as well.

I currently have 3 N Frame .44s. They seem to grow on a person.

I looked at the S&W Stealth Hunter, Competitor and the 44 Magnum Hunter, Ruger RedHawk, and the S&W Light Magnum for a deer hunting handgun.  I ended up with this from Gunbroker for less than any of the other choices since it was "used", but showed little signs of actually being used.

Dan Wesson 744VH 8" 44 Mag.  Debating optics currently, but she shoots like a dream!

Very nice and GREAT choice. EWK makes shrouds and barrels for those so your options are open to whatever you want. Enjoy.

I've read about 5" N Frames, but I've never actually seen one, so I didn't think of one. I was just thinking 4, 6.5, or 8 3/8".

Would love to see Dan Wesson come back in .44 mag

Seek out a non lock version, and odds are, even if you feel you are paying a bit too much initially, when you look back at the purchase years later, chances are you will be extremely happy you ended up with one.

They are exceptional guns "all around" guns.

BTW,


For pure "No excuses/performance on demand" type shooting, few things will get you tuned up like small game hunting with a handgun.




I won't take  a guess at the # of Jacks I have shot with .44s, but suffice to say, it has been a few:

Handgunning jacks is one of my more favorite post-big game season past times.

Love my 5 inch new 629-8.

Got me a chest rig from Diamond D Leather.


I don't hunt, but it sure is an easy revolver to shoot.  Left the original rubber grips on it.  They work well and are comfy.

Even if I do pay a bit too much, I'll actually get my monies worth out of it, unlike every other gun I've over payed for because I just had to have it.